Sewing machine and attachment therefor for making crossstitches



March 16, 1948. c. SEAMAN 2,437,975

SEWING MACHINE AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR FOR MAKING CROSS-STITCHES Filed Feb. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR.

CHARLES SEAMAN A770)?MEX March 1-6, 1948. c. SEAMAN 2,437,975

SEWING MACHINE AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR FOR MAKING CROSS-STITCHES I Filed Feb. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. CHA RL E5 Jen/WAN A TTORNE K March 16, 1948. c, N 2,437,975

SEWING MACHINE AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR FOR MAKING CROSS-STITCHES Filed Feb. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. HARL 5 SEAMAN c. SEAMAN March 16, 1948.

SEWING MACHINE AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR FOR MAKING CROSS-STITCHES Filed Feb. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR.

CHA RL E5 55/: MAN

Macs/u T/m mo ATTORNEX Patented Mar. 16, 1948 PATENT OFFICE SEWING MACHINE AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR FOR MAKING CROSS- STITCHES 16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing stitched goods. More particularly, it relates to a sewing machine attachment which cooperates with the needle of a sewing machine to produce spaced cross-stitches for securing materials together.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for stitching goods.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sewing machine attachment which cooperates with the needle of a sewing machine to produce at predetermined times a cross-stitch which secures the goods together.

Other and additional objects will become apparent hereinafter.

The objects of the invention are accomplished, in general, by an attachment having means which is actuated at predetermined intervals of time to engage the normally vertically reciprocating needle of a standard sewing machine and shift or incline the needle and release the needle whereby, due to its inherent flexibility, it will return to its original vertical position in time to properly present the needle thread to the looper of the machine. The shifting and release of the needle results in a substantially V-shaped crossstitch. The means'which engages and shifts the needle is actuated through means operatively connected to the pulley end of the machine. As will become apparent from the description here inafter, the machine will operate in its normal manner to produce a predetermined number of straight stitches which do not secure the goods together but are intermediate the spaced crossstitches which secure the materials together.

The attachment can be quickly attached and secured to any standard sewing machine without mutilatim the machine in any way. When the attachment is not desired to be used, it can be easily removed and the machine will be restored to its original condition and state.

Though the attachment is capable of use in the production of various materials, for convenience without any intention of restricting the scope of the invention it will be described in connection with the production of a hemmed material.

The invention will be more clearly understood reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanyg drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a sewing machine having the attachment in position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figure l, with the head thereof broken away;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of the machine shown in Figure 2 and looking to the left thereof;

5 Figure 5 is an end view of the machine shown in Figure 2 and looking to the right thereof;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of themechanism for shifting the needle and also showing (in section) how it is mounted;

Figure '7 is an end view looking to the left in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism for actuating the needle-shifting means;

Figure 9 is a top plan View showing the arrangement of the folder, and the guide for guiding the folded material through the path of travel of the needle;

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the guide mechanism;

Figure 11 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the hemmed material showing the feed steps exaggerated at points of stitching; and

Figure 12 is a section taken on the line I2-I2 of Figure 11.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, the reference numeral I (see Figures 1, 2, 5 and 9) designates the base of a sewing machine head of any standard type carrying a standard and an overhanging arm 2 provided at one end with a needle head 3, in which reciprocates a needle bar 4 carrying a needle 5. On the opposite end of the overhanging arm, there is a pulley 6 which is driven from any suitable source of power, such as a belt or otherwise. The pulley 6 is operatively connected to a shaft 1 which is provided with known means for reciprocating the needle bar 4. Slidably mounted in the head 3 is a presser foot bar 8 which is adapted to be drawn upwardly by means of a manually actuated lever I 0. A presser foot I2 is secured on the presser foot bar 8 by means of a set screw It. On the rear of the overhanging arm 2 (as shown in Figure 2), there is provided a stud I 6 on which there is plvotally mounted a lever I8 intermediate its ends. Though not shown in the drawings, one end of the lever I8 is engageable with the presser foot bar 8 and the other end, which terminates beneath the base I, is adapted to be engaged by the knee of the operator to elevate the presser foot bar 8.

The machine, as shown in Figure 5, is provided with feed dogs 20 which are carried on a fourmotion feed dog-operating lever 22. One end of the feed dog-operating lever 22 is pivoted at 24 to one end of a link 26, th other end of the link 26 being secured on a rock shaft 28. The opposite end of the feed dog-operating lever 22 is provided with a slot 39. A pin 32 is positioned in the slot and is mounted eccentrically of a rock shaft (not shown). a

The machine is also provided with a, hook 39 and a bobbin case 38 in the usual manner. The machine is also provided with a throat plate 42 having slots, through which the feed dogs 29 pass, and a sliding cover plate 44. The throat plate 42 is also provided with an aperture 45 through which the needle passes.

The details of construction of the sewing machine head and appurtenant mechanisms thus far described are those found in any standard sewing machine, such as a 95-10 Singer sewing machine.

. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the presser foot I2 is provided with a curved toe 46 and is positioned inspaced relationship rearwardly of the needle 5.

The attachment which constitutes one Phase of this invention comprises a bracket 59 provided with a hole 52 whereby it is securely positioned on the stud I6 on the rear of the overhanging arm. As shown in Figure 5, the bracket 59 is also supported on the machine head by means of a support 54, one end of which is secured by means of the screw 56 to the bracket, and the other end thereof being secured to the machine head at 58. The bracket 59 carries the needle-shifting means and the means for actuating the needle-shifting means, both of which willv hereinafter be described.

The needle-shifting means (as shown in Figures 1, 6 and '7) comprises a needle pusher finger 69 which is secured by means of a set screw 62 in an aperture in a horizontal member 64 of an L-shaped support. The member 64 extends in a horizontal direction beneath the needle head 3 and terminates intermediate the needle and the presser foot [2 and in spaced relationship thereto. The pusher finger 69 is bent to provide a leg 65 which extends in a horizontal direction toward the operator and which terminates to the left of the needle and is normally in spaced relationship thereto. The leg 65 is adapted to engage and shift the needle 5, as will be hereafter explained, Adjacent its free end, the leg 65 is provided with a needle-engaging surface 66 which tapers toward the front thereof. In order that the surface 65 effectively engages the needle 5, it is preferably roughened, such as by being corrugated (see Figure 6) The horizontal member. 64 is made integral with a vertical member I9, which is provided with a boss I2 at the top thereof. A post 14 is adjustably mounted in the boss I2 and is secured in adjusted position by a set screw I6. The post 14 is secured at its top, in any convenient manner, as by welding, to one end of a spring I8, the other end of the-spring I8 being secured by screws 89 to a forwardly extending and downwardly inclined arm 82 of the bracket 59. The shape of the support suspended from the spring 18 is such that the surface 69 of the pusher finger 69 will be normally positioned tothe left of and in slightly spaced relationship with respect to the needle (as shown in Figure 1), so that the needle may reciprocate in its normally vertical path without engagement by the pusher finger, and also so that upon movement of the support the surface 66 will move to the right (in Figure 1) to engage the needle and push it toward the right, Due to the resiliency and flexibility of the needle, the pressure exerted by the finger 69 on the needle will bend or incline the needle below the shank thereof until the surface 69 of the pusher finger 69 is moved out of engagin contact therewith.

To impart the necessary movement to the support which carries the pusher finger 69, the member 64 is provided with a downwardly extendin pin 99 which is adapted to be engaged by a finger 92 at predetermined periods of time whereby the desired movement of the needle pusher finger is effected. The finger 92 is bent (see Figure 1) downwardly and the downward portion 93 curved so that the free end thereof is disposed to the left of the pin 99 (as shown in Figure 1). The horizontal portion 94 of the pusher finger 92 is adjustably mounted in a boss 95 and a housing 96 carried on a rock lever 98. The rock lever 99 is secured to a rock shaft I99 mounted in a bearing I92 formed at the free end of the arm 82 of the bracket 59. The horizontal portion 94 of the pusher finger 92 is provided with an enlargement I96 which is slidably mounted in the boss 95 and the housin 96. Extending from the enlargement I99 is a threaded stem I98 which cooperates with a knurled headed nut I I9 whereby the pusher finger 92 may be adjusted so that it can engage the pin 99 at the desired intervals. A spring H2, coiled around the stem I98 and secured between one end of the enlargement I96 and the shoulder 91, helps to maintain the pusher finger 92 in proper position.

The portion I I4 of the pusher finger 92 which is adapted to engage the pin 99 is provided with a surface tapering toward the free end thereof. It is apparent that when the surface II4 of the pusher finger 92 is brought into engagement with the pin 99 by rocking of the lever 98 in a direction away from the operator (to the left in Fig. 5), it will cam the L-shaped support to the right (as seen in Fig. 2), whereby the needle pusher finger 69 will engage the needle and incline it also to the right. When the surface II4 of the pusher finger 92 is not in engagement with the pin 99, the spring I8 will serve to position the support so that the pusher finger 92 will be in ineffective postion with respect to the pin 99.

As previously mentioned, the finger 92 is actuated at predetermined times to eifect bending or shifting of the needle 5, and the means for actuating said pusher finger 92 will now be explained. On the rock shaft I99, one end of a slotted lever I29 is secured by means of a screw I22. The slot I24 of the slotted lever I29 cooperates with a pin I29 carried on one end of a lever I28, the other end of the lever I28 being secured to an eccentric I32 secured to one end of a shaft I 34. A wing nut I36 cooperating with the pin I26 secures the lever I28 in adjusted position in the slotted lever I29.

The shaft I34 is rotatably mounted in a bearing I38 at one end of an arm formed integral with the bracket 59. The shaft I34 (as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4) is also rotatably carried in a boss I49 of a bracket I42 secured to the sewing machine head by means of screws I46. The shaft I34 carries a pulley I59 which cooperates with a belt I52 Which is driven by a pulley I54 attached to the drive shaft 1 of the machine adl'acent the drivin pulley 9 thereof. A housing I99 is appropriately mounted on brackets I62 to surround the pulleys I59 and I54 and the belt I52. It is to be noted that the drive shaft I34 is disposed at the rear of the machine, below the overhanging arm 2 and above the work support.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that during operation the needle 5 will reciprocate in its normally vertical path of travel and make straight stitches. At predetermined times, the pusher finger 92 will engage the pin 98 and shift the support suspended from the spring 78. The shifting of the s-uppoit will cause the needleengaging finger E9 to engage the needle 5 below the shank thereof and incline or bend it so that, while so engaged, the path of the needle will be at an angle with respect to its normal path of travel. Before the needle presents th thread to the looper, the finger 92 will release the pin 90, whereby the spring 78 will restore the support, and particularly the member 64, to its normal position whereby the needle pusher finger 92 will release the needle and. the latter, due to its inherent resiliency, will resume its normal vertical position so that the hook of the machine may cooperate with the loop of thread formed thereby. The bending of the needle and the restoration thereof to its original position, as hereinbefore described, produces a cross-stitch. The size of the cross-stitch is controlled by adjustment of the lever I23 in the slotted lever IN and by the adjustment of the actuating finger 92 within the housing.

The invention will now be described in connection with the production of a hemmed material, wherein the hem is formed by an edge fold having top and bottom plies with the edge of the material positioned intermediate said top and bottom plies. On a plate lib, secured to the base I by means of a screw I12, there is secured, as by soldering, a folder we of the type which will form an edge fold in which the edge of the material is disposed intermediate the top and bottom plies of the edge fold. Such a folder is well known in the art and therefore, since the specific details of the folding mechanism except as hereinafter described form no part of this invention, further description thereof is not necessary,

The folder H4 is provided with a member I78 which terminates in a tongue l's'B projecting beyond the delivery end of the folder HQ and which is positioned between the top and intermediate plies of the edge fold. As shown in Figure 9, the tongue I18 is rounded at its corners and flares slightly outwardly toward the front thereof. Due to this construction, the tangue its serves to remove any puckers which might be present in the edge fold leaving the folder, and also serves to make the edge fold of uniform size. After the folded material passes from the tongue I18, it passes in. a horizontal direction through a guide I80 carried on a plate M32. The plate 32 is of a shape substantially as shown in Figure 9 and is provided with a slot 1% whereby it may be adjustably positioned on a plate I85 by means of a screw I88. The plate I85 is secured to the base I of the machine by means of a screw Ifiil,

As shown in Figure 10, the uide til has a vertical member I92 which is adapted to engage the inner edge of the fold and a horizontal member I94 which is adapted to pass between the under side of the intermediate ply and the inner side of the bottom ply. The longitudinal edge led of the member 594 is preferably rounded to permit easy movement of the plies thereof. From the guide I89, which serves also to maintain the size of the edge fold, the folded material is passed in a horizontal direction through the path of travel of the needle and thence under the presser foot I2, whereby it will be fed through the machine. In order to provide the necessary tension, the tongue I18 is positioned relative to the guide I88 so that the fold, as it leaves the tongue H8, will be slightly bent transversely thereof. As shown in Figure 9, the left edge of the tongue I78 is slightly offset with respect to the vertical member 192 of the guide I39.

In operation, a fabric 266 is fed through the folder whereby the longitudinal edge thereof is folded to form an edge fold in which the base material 23! constitutes the lower ply, the ply 282 constitutes the top ply, and the ply 284 constitutes the intermediate ply. The intermediate ply 295 may be less in width than or coextensive with the top ply 232. The material thus folded passes through the guide I80 whereby the vertical member I92 engages the inner bend 296 of the edge fold and the member I54 extends between the bottom ply 291i and the intermediate ply 264. From the guide $88, the material passes through the path of travel of the needle to beneath the presser foot, where it is engaged and fed through the machine by the feed dogs. The guide IE9 is positioned relative to the needle so that when the material is passed therefrom through the path of travel of the needle nd the needle is operating in its normal path, the needle will stitch the base material 288 in close proximity to the bend 285 without stitching through any portion of the edge fold. Thus, while the needle is operating in its normally vertical path, there will be formed a plurality of straight stitches 2) in the fabric 286 in close proximity to the bend 296. After maln'ng a predetermined number of straight stitches 21!), such as, for example, three straight stitches as shown in Figure 11, the needle 5 is bent or shifted by the mechanisms hereinbefore described so that the needle will make the cross-stitch 2I2 which penetrates all three plies of the fold. The cross-stitches 2E2 are substantially V-shaped and are the only stitches which secure the plies of the hem, so that that portion of the hem intermediate the cross-stitches is free, i. e. not secured to the base or any of the plies, Due to the construction of the stitch, it will not crack or break when sub-- jected to longitudinal tension and the hem will be soft and flexible. The number of straight stitches 2H! intermediate the cross stitches 212 is dependent upon the ratio of the pulleys i 5!}, I 54. If the pulleys are of a 2:1 ratio as shown, a single straight stitch 280 will be formed. If the pulleys have a 4:1 ratio, three straight stitches will be formed as shown in Fig. 11. Any desired ratio may be used.

No claims are herein presented for the hemmed article, since they form the subject matter of my copending application for Hemmed materials, Serial No. 578,849, filed on even date herewith.

Because of the arrangement of the parts constituting the attachment and the manner in which the attachment is secured in position on the machine, none of the parts of the attachment will in any way interfere with the operator of the machine, though all parts of the attachmerit will be readily accessible to the operator.

Though the invention has been described in connection with a standard type of sewing machine (Singer 95-10) it is to be understood that the attachment can be used with any of the other standard type single needle machines. For example, when used with a Wi1cox-Gibbs singleneedle machine, the shape of the bracket 59 will need to be modified so that it can be properly suspended from the head, but such modification will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.

The invention provides a new apparatus for forming a cross-stitch and, though the invention has been described in connection with the production of a hemmed material in which the hem consists of three plies, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted thereto. The hem may be formed of any number of plies. Furthermore, the apparatus is capable of use in the production of various other stitched materials, such as, for example, a blind-stitched piping as set forth in my copending application Serial No. 578,- 851, filed on even date herewith, or in the production of a piping such as set forth in my copending application Serial No. 578,852, filed on even date herewith.

Since it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the above description without departing from the nature or spirit thereof, this invention is not restricted thereto except as set forth in the appended claims,

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head, drive means including a shaft to reciprocate said needle in a vertical position, feed dogs and a presser foot cooperating with said feed dogs, means periodically engageable with the needle to bend it below the shank thereof, and means operable by the drive means to actuate the needle-engaging means to alternately engage and release said needle at predetermined times,

2. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head, drive means including a shaft to reciprocate said needle in a vertical position, feed dogs and a presser foot cooperating with said feed dogs, a needle pusher finger normally positioned laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, and means operable by the drive means to cause said needle pusher finger to enease the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle at predetermined times.

3. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head, drive means including a shaft to reciprocate said needle in a vertical position, feed dogs and a presser foot cooperating with said feed dogs, a yieldingly mounted support, a needle pusher finger carried by said support and normally disposed laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, and means operable by the drive means to shift said support at predetermined times whereby the needle pusher finger will engage said needle and bend it below the shank thereof.

4. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, feed dogs and a presser foot cooperating with said feed dogs, a yieldingly mounted support, a needle pusher finger carried by said support and normally disposed laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, and means actuated at predetermined times to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle.

5. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried, by said head, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, feed dogs and a presser foot cooperating with said feed dogs, a yieldingly mounted support, a needle pusher finger carried by said support and normally disposed laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, a pin pusher finger adapted at predetermined times to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, and means to actuate said pin pusher finger.

6. In a sewing machie having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, feed dogs and a presser foot cooperating with said feed dogs, a yieldingly mounted support, a needle pusher finger carried by said support and normally disposed laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, a pin pusher finger adapted at predetermined times to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, and means operatively connected to said drive shaft to actuate said pin pusher finger at predetermined times.

7. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle at one end thereof, drive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft and a driven pulley at the opposite end of the head operatively connected to said drive shaft, said attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to said head, a support yieldingly suspended from said bracket, a needle pusher finger carried by said support and adapted to be positioned laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, a pin pusher finger adapted to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, and means adapted to be operatively connected to said rotating shaft at the pulley end thereof to actuate said pin pusher finger at predetermined times.

8. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle at one end thereof, drive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft and a driven pulley at the opposite end of the head operatively connected to said drive shaft, said attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to said head, a support yieldingly suspended from said bracket, a needle pusher finger on said support and. adapted to be positioned laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, an adjustable pin pusher finger adapted to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, and means to be operatively connected to said rotating shaft at the pulley end thereof to actuate said pin pusher finger at predetermined times.

9. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle at one end thereof, drive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft and a driven pulley at the opposite end of the head operatively connected to said drive shaft, said attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to said head, a support, adjustable and yielding means suspending said support from said bracket, a needle pusher finger on said support and adapted to be positioned laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, a pin pusher finger adapted at predetermined times to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, and means adapted to be operatively connected to said rotating shaft at the pulley end thereof to actuate said pin pusher finger at predetermined times.

10. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle at one end thereof, drive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft and a driven pulley at the opposite end of the head operatively connected to said drive shaft, said attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to said head, a spring secured at one end to said bracket, a support suspended from the other end of said spring, a needle pusher finger on said support and adapted to be positioned laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, a pin pusher finger adapted to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position whereby the needle pusher fin ger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, and means adapted to be operatively connected to said rotating shaft at the pulley end thereof to actuate said pin pusher finger at predetermined times.

11. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle at one end thereof, drive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft and a driven pulley at the opposite end of the head operatively connected to said drive shaft, said attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to said head, a support yieldingly suspended from said bracket, said support having a member adapted to extend horizontally and being of a length to terminate in spaced relationship to said needle, a needle pusher linger on said member and adapted to be positioned laterally of and in spaced relationship to said needle, a pin carried by said support, a pin pusher finger adapted to engage and release said pin to thereby alternately shift said support and permit it to return to its original position where by the needle pusher finger will alternately engage the needle and bend it below the shank thereof and release said needle, a rock lever carrying said pin pusher finger, a rock shaft on which said rock lever is mounted, said rock shaft being journaled in an arm of said bracket, a shaft carried by said bracket and adapted to be operatively connected to said rotating shaft at the pulley end thereof, and means including eccentric means connecting said shafts.

12. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head at one end thereof, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, a thread looper cooperating with the thread presented by said needle and means to feed the work through said machine, a folder adapted to fold a material at one of its longitudinal edges to form an edge fold having top and bottom plies with the normally free edge of the material disposed intermediate said topand bottom plies, a guide intermediate said folder and said needle and adapted to position the fold out of the path of the needle whereby the needle during its normal operation will stitchonly the material adjacent the inner edge of said edge fold without passing through said edge fold, and means operative at predetermined times to engage the needle and bend it laterally below the shank thereof to dispose the needle in position to penetrate all the plies of said edge fold and release said needle before it presents the needle thread to said looper.

13. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by saidhead at one end thereof, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, a thread looper cooperating with the thread presented by said needle. and means to feed the work through said machine, a folder adapted to fold a material at one of its longitudinal edges to form an edge fold having top and bottom plies with the normally free edge of the material disposed intermediate said top and bottom plies, means adjacent the delivery end of said folder to make the edge fold substantially uniform, a guide intermediate said means and said needle and adapted to position the fold out of the path of the needle whereby the needle during its normal operation will stitch only the material adjacent the inner edge of said edge fold without passing through said edge fold, and means operative at predetermined times to engage the needle and bend it laterally below the shank thereof to dispose the needle in position to penetrate all the plies of said edge fold and release said needle before it presents the needle thread to said looper.

14. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head at one end thereof, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, a thread looper cooperating with the thread presented by said needle and means to feed the work through said machine, a folder adapted to fold a material at one of its longitudinal edges to form an edge fold having top and bottom plies with the normally free edge of the materialdisposed intermediate said top and bottom plies, an outwardly flaring tongue positioned to pass between the top and intermediate plies of the edge fold, a guide intermediate said tongue and said needle and adapted to position the fold out of the path of the needle whereby the needle during its normal operation will stitch only the material adjacent the inner edge of said edge fold without passing through said edge fold, and means operative at predetermined times to engage the needle and bend it laterally below the shank thereof to dispose the needle in position to penetrate all the plies of said edge fold and release said needle before it presents the needle thread to said looper.

15; In a sewing machine having a, head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head at one end thereof, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, a thread looper cooperating with the thread presented by said needle and means to feed the work through said machine, a folder adapted to fold a material at one or its longitudinal edges to form an normally free edge of the material disposed intermediate said top and bottom piles, a guide intermediate said folder and said needle and adapted to position the fold out of the path of the needle whereby the needle during its normal operation will stitch only the material adjacent the inner edge of said edge fold without passing through said edge fold, said guide having means to cooperate with the inner edge of said edge fold, and means operative at predetermined times to engage the needle and bend it laterally below the shank thereof to dispose the needle in position to penetrate all the plies of said edge fold and release said needle before it presents'the needle thread to said looper.

16. In a sewing machine having a head, a normally vertically reciprocating needle carried by said head at one end thereof, drive means including a shaft to actuate said needle, a thread 20 fold having top and bottom plies with the nor- 25 mally free edge of the material disposed intermediate said top and bottom plies, a guide intermediate said folder and said needle and adapted to position the fold out of the path of the need-1e whereby the needle during its normal operation will stitch onl the material adjacent the inner edge of said edge fold without passing through said edge fold, said guide having means which is disposed between the intermediate ply and the bottom ply, and means operative at predetermined times to engage the needle and bend it laterally below the shank thereof to dispose the needle in position to penetrate all the plies of said edge fold and release said needle before it presents the needle thread to said looper.

CHARLES SEAMAN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATE PATENTS Name Date Bigelow Nov. 24, 1885 Number 

